


The long and winding road

by Karieauthoress (ksrandomme), ksrandomme



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-30
Updated: 2009-03-30
Packaged: 2017-10-18 01:05:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/183284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksrandomme/pseuds/Karieauthoress, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksrandomme/pseuds/ksrandomme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone needs a plan in their life. Blair has to leave to find his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The long and winding road

Blair sat on Jim’s desk, his eyes taking in the smiling, laughing faces of the people around him. When curious eyes searched him out he returned smiles and nods. But his heart wasn’t much into the festivities in Major Crimes. He checked his watch for the third time in as many minutes and stifled a sigh. His searching eyes picked up first Jim and then Simon. He dithered as to what he should do, weighing the pros and cons of his decision.

Naomi had left early, citing the need to rest after such a busy day. The truth of the matter was, Blair knew she was just beginning to see what she had done and what it was driving good men like Jim to do for her little boy. He suspected she would be gone by morning. He made a mental note to get her new address at Big Sur for later. Jim caught his attention and finally looked as if he could slip away. Simon was next to his office so it was with little difficulty that Blair was able to entice them into the quiet room, closing the door firmly behind them and checking that the door to the hall was likewise similarly shut.

Jim watched him warily and Blair was caught again with the knowledge that what he was about to do could so easily be misconstrued by his friend. He swallowed again and moved to sit on the edge of the conference table. Simon flicked his gaze back and forth between them and then finally settled on Blair. With a gruff clearing of the throat he asked, “Does someone want to start?”

Blair looked at Jim who met his gaze unflinchingly. Blair nodded once and sighed. “I can’t stay.”

Jim blinked. Simon’s mouth dropped open and then snapped shut to become a hard, thin line. Blair dropped his gaze, afraid to show the tears that were threatening to well up in his eyes. He didn’t want to cry. He didn’t want to look as weak as he felt. He took several deep breaths, trying to control the panic that was beginning to start. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt hands on his upper arms and he was drawn into his friend’s strong chest. He reached out blindly and wrapped himself around Jim, who wrapped him up in the warmest hug he had ever known.

“I know, Chief. It’s all right.” His words were meant to sooth but Blair knew the truth in Jim’s heart. He pulled back to stare up at his friend, allowing the tears to go unchecked down his cheeks.

“I’m not abandoning you on purpose. I fucked up and I can’t fix it with just the press conference. If I stay, it will hurt you. Your reputation and status are in jeopardy here. I can’t allow that, man.” He forced himself to remain calm so that Jim would have to accept the truth for what it was. Jim said nothing for a moment, then finally nodded in total understanding.

“This would leave way too many questions, and they won’t let it alone.” The ‘they’ that Jim referred to was the media. Even Simon looked away. His silence lulled Blair into a false sense of being alone with Jim, but when he grunted once, Blair jumped. He checked his watch again and sighed.

“I have to go.”

Jim blinked, “Where?”

“I plan to leave with Naomi in the morning.” Blair moved around to shake hands with Simon. “Thank you very much for the opportunity, Simon. And the confidence in me. You would have been proud.”

Simon dragged Blair down and hugged him, “I know it would not have been a waste.”

Blair smiled as he stood straight again. He turned back to Jim who also didn’t hesitate in hugging him again. “Jim, I’m sorry. I don’t want to leave.”

“But you don’t want me to hurt any more, and you being around becomes a reminder for the press that there might be something to hide. I get it, Chief. And I gotta say, you have a cooler head on your shoulders than I do.” Jim kissed his temple and let him go, reluctantly. “Keep in touch?”

“Phone is charged, you have the number. If you ever, and I mean this Jim, you *ever* need me, you call me. Okay?” Blair held his gaze as long as he could. Jim nodded emphatically so Blair would know that he was heard and would be obeyed. No playing around anymore. They had to remain honest with each other in order to survive. Blair returned his nod before turning and heading for the door to the hall. With a last wink and a weak smile, he left, shutting the door behind him. Shutting out his friends. Taking the first steps away from his past and looking to the future.

o-O-o

Naomi Sandburg could remember only three times that her son had ever cried. The first was when they had stood the burial of a beloved pet, his wolf/dog Shade. The second was when she’d had to leave Blair with her brother in Texas at the age of 10. The third was the day he went to Rainier at the age of 16.

Now, as she opened the door to her hotel room at the Ramada Inn, she found her strong and beautiful young man sobbing as he leaned against the wall across the way. She opened her arms and he fell into them without a word. It took all her strength to cajole him into stepping the rest of the way into the room and to fall on the bed. With deft fingers and a mother’s love, she stripped him down to his underwear and tucked him into bed. When she had him settled, she climbed in to the bed and planted her back against the headboard, urging his head into her lap. She stroked his curls until he fell asleep.

Only then did she slip away from him and grab his bag that was still in the hallway. She picked up her phone and slipped into the bathroom, pressing speed dial on the way. The phone was picked up on the first ring.

 _//”Ellison?”//_

“Jim, he’s with me,” she replied. There was a deep sigh on the other end.

 _//”He’s my best friend, Naomi. I love him.”//_

“I’ll take care of him,” she promised before hanging up with him. She instantly knew what had happened. Blair was sacrificing himself again. And she understood it, but it didn’t mean she had to like it any more than Jim did. With a last deep breath, she went back into the other room and turned off the lights. Tomorrow would be a new day, and she was headed home to Big Sur. She could only imagine that Blair was going with her.

Another time, she would have been ecstatic, but her baby was too old to be traipsing around the world with his mother now. He’d had a life and a goal, which he had finally reached. And now he needed a new goal to strive towards. She only hoped that he would be able to find the path to his new destiny soon. And that it would bring him happiness. But the gods alone knew what was next for Blair. She could only be there to catch him should he fall.

o-O-o

 _Three days later..._

Blair looked up when he heard the sound of his mother’s car on the drive. Her home in Big Sur, California was backed against one of the nature preserves in the area and the drive from the main road was rather long. It was hard to sneak up on the residence which suited Blair just fine when hiding from the media. He had watched her satellite television and noted that the media in Cascade was still talking about the dissertation and still trying to get comments from Jim, who it seemed had locked himself in his apartment.

Naomi parked next to the two bedroom cabin and climbed out of the jeep. Blair walked down the steps from the porch to help her with the week’s groceries. He followed her in and helped her put things away while she chattered on about her activities for the day.

“Sunshine says hello, by the way. She wants to come out this weekend for dinner, if you don’t mind.” Naomi put the ostrich meat away and turned to the dry goods. Blair shrugged as he put the onions and potatoes away.

“If you don’t mind, maybe I can go camping that night. I’m not... exactly ready to face others yet.” Blair dropped his gaze when Naomi peered up at him from under her red hair. With a nod she turned away and let him leave the room. Blair didn’t say any more, but went to his room and lay down on his bed.

Three days. Three days since he and Naomi had left Cascade and come here and he was still shying away from anyone not his mother. He knew that Naomi was getting worried about him, but he was still waiting for something to happen, for something to try and get his attention. Every day he read and caught up on his science journals. Every night he meditated, finding himself in the blue jungle that was Jim’s vision place and calling to the spirits to lead him to the next leg of his journey.

Each and every morning he woke no closer to his goal. It was getting to be a bad habit and he was most anxious for it to stop.

With a will, Blair pulled himself back into a sitting position, his bare feet tucked up into a comfortable position and taking several deep breaths. He blanked his mind, turning his thoughts inward. With each slow breath in he fought to focus his thoughts. With each breath out he forced away the negative lethargy that was attempting to bog down his body and spirit. Once he felt as focused as he could be, he called out for guidance. Only this time, he put a name with the request.

 _*”Incacha, help me.”*_

It was the first time he had ever looked for the spirit of his predecessor. He knew that Jim had spoken with his Shaman even after the man had died, but Blair himself had never had the chance. Now, at the end of his patience, he called the old teacher. And his request was answered when he mentally opened his eyes and found himself in the jungle again, this time sitting at a fire in the night.

 _*”You call, young wolf. I have answered.”*_ Incacha sat across the fire from him, watching him with kind eyes. Blair stared back, unflinching. He knew he had no need to fear this teacher.

 _*”I have failed to protect my Sentinel. I need a direction. I come to you because you once said you were passing on the Way of the Shaman to me. But you died before you could explain.”*_ Blair took another deep breath. _*”I want to hear it now.”*_

Incacha squinted at Blair sideways. _*”How is it that you believe you have failed your Sentinel?”*_

Blair sighed. _*”There was danger that we could not overcome with so many asking questions. I drew suspicion off of Jim by bringing it down on my head. Now I am seen as a teller of lies, half-truths, not to be trusted.”*_

 _*”And what do you want now?”*_ Incacha asked.

Blair shrugged, _*”Direction? Point me to the path and then you can forget about me. I’ll keep the heat off Jim so he can go back to being normal again.”*_

Incacha snorted once. _*”And how is he to be normal when his normal is to be a Sentinel?”*_

 _*”The Sentinel is a Sentinel if he chooses to be. If I am not there to give him a reason to be a Sentinel, he can forget the senses, they can go dormant again and he can just be Jim again.”*_ Blair replied with a certainty that he felt deep in his bones. Until Incacha shook his head and sighed.

 _*”The Sentinel made his choice when he brought you back from the path of light. He accepted half of your soul, as you accepted half of his. There is no letting the senses go away now.”*_

Blair blinked. Jim was stuck. He was stuck also. He looked back at Incacha and nodded once. _*”Okay. Then I need a direction.”*_

o-O-o

Naomi woke the next morning and began working on breakfast. Carrying a cup of coffee to Blair’s room, she tapped lightly to wake him. There was no sound from inside, so she carefully opened the door and peeked inside. The bed was empty, covers straightened and pillows plumped.

The entire room was tidy and neat. In fact it looked almost as if Blair hadn’t even unpacked. And to add on top of it, it looked as if he were gone now. There was a note laid out in the center of the spread, which she picked up with trepidation and sat down to read.

“Naomi,  
Off to follow my path. I’ll keep in touch. Cell phone is charged, be sure to let Jim know when he calls.  
Love Blair.”

Naomi laid the note back on the bed and sighed with a faint smile on her face. Her boy had found his way.

Part II  
“Class dismissed.”

The teacher’s final words set the students in motion and they spilled out into the hall, muttering about class schedules and moving in different directions. A cell phone rang in the crowd as one of the students looked around for a quiet corner. He leaned against the wall and slipped the cell phone out of the pocket of his uniform pants, flicking it open with a practiced ease and holding it to his ear.

“Sandburg.”

 _//*”Sandy? It’s Megan. Jim’s zoned.”*//_

Blair stopped breathing for just a moment. Then he swallowed and forced himself to relax. “Megan, what was the sense?”

 _//*”I think it was smell.”*//_ came the concerned voice. Blair closed his eyes and went through his memories to figure out what best to say.

“Where are you guys now?” he asked, looking around to find a place for privacy. He picked the broom closet, sliding in among the mops and shutting the door behind him. By his watch he had about ten minutes to be in the room next door, so he only hoped this would work. Megan came through with an answer after a minute.

 _//*”I got him into Simon’s office. Simon’s watching the door.”*//_

“Okay, put the phone on speaker and be quiet.” He waited until he heard the clicks of the phone being switched around and the sound of quiet breathing, clothing shuffling to indicate that Megan was stepping back with Simon. He waited a moment more, and then began his work. “Jim, I need you to hear me, focus on my voice and my heartbeat. You can do that, just turn down smell and sight, turn up hearing just a touch. Listen to my voice. Listen to my heart. Let the scent go.”

He checked his watch, but continued to talk until he heard a sharp intake of breath. He continued to talk after a moment of listening to the breathing, a smile in his voice. “Hey, Jim. Long time no hear.”

It had been two months since Blair left Cascade and come all the way out to Florida. He had simply followed his path as set for him by Incacha and it led him to Florida and the Miami-Dade police academy. Already within two weeks he was top of his classes and the instructors were talking about fast tracking him to his graduation, which he was refusing as much as possible.

In that time, Jim had called five times. Just to say hello, he said. Just to keep up with his friend. Blair grinned into the phone. “Talk to me, Jim.”

He heard the phone being picked up and the clicks to switch off the speaker, then he heard Jim’s smooth voice. _//*”Miss you, Chief.”*//_

It nearly ripped his heart out, but he held it together tightly. He had a path to follow and he couldn’t drop everything right now to rush back to Cascade. Yet he did attempt to reassure his friend. “I miss you, too Jim. I miss Cascade and everyone there.” He snorted once, “Hell I even miss the rain.”

 _//*”But you have to be where you are. ‘cacha said as much, right?”*//_ Jim had told him about the vision from his old Shaman the first time he had called. Incacha had come to him and told him to trust his Teacher a little longer. And so Jim was waiting as patiently as he could. But Blair knew it was hard.

“That’s right Jim. And right now I have...” he checked his watch and blanched. “Four minutes to get going. Call me tonight when you get home so I can run you through your paces.”

i>//*”Will do, Chief. Be careful.”*//</i>

“Always, Jim.” And with that he hung up, slipped out of the closet and went to his next class in criminal procedures.

o-O-o

 _Four weeks later..._

The manila envelope was slipped into his in-box before Jim could react. He frowned as he read his address at the station but no return address. The post mark read California, so Jim could only imagine that it had come through Naomi or one of her friends if she was out of town. Blair hadn’t been in California for at least a couple months.

Pulling out his letter opener, Jim carefully slit the seal and dumped out a small folded piece of paper and a larger piece of folded paper. He read the smaller one first.

“Jim, check it out! Soon, my friend. Soon!”

Jim set the note down, noticing that it was written in Blair’s very precise script, and unfolded the larger paper. It was a paper target with a score of .294. The grouping was magnificent to Jim’s eyes. He grinned as he stood, pulled out his tape and taped the target to the window over his shoulder. Then he went back to his reports.

The first person to see the new addition to the room was Rafe, who came over to stare for a long time before he finally had to ask. “Okay, Jimbo. When did you score that?”

Jim grinned, “Not mine.” He turned back to his work and waited for the next questions. Major Crimes detectives were nothing if not nosey. That was their job, after all. H soon joined his partner in staring at the target, soon after Megan and Joel were with them. H whistled low while Joel squinted. They all jumped when Simon appeared at his door with a bellow.

“Why isn’t everyone working?”

Jim continued to read over a report, checking errors before looking up with total innocence at Simon, who was now standing in front of his desk and staring at the target. It wasn’t long before the inevitable question.

“Any idea where he is?”

Jim shook his head. “Nope.”

Simon scowled before heading back to his office. “When you talk to him, remind him that he _*could*_ have done this in Washington.”

Jim snickered as his boss shut the door to the office. It was true, Blair _*could*_ have done this here in Washington state. But it would have been with the press hounding him and the public looking for him to fail miserably. Jim figured that Blair’s way was much better.

o-O-o

The phone was ringing in Blair’s room when he entered and he picked it up quickly. “Sandburg.”

 _//*”Hello Blair.”*//_

“Beverly! How goes it on the West coast?” Blair dropped his pack beside his bed and flopped down on his back. His roommate stuck his head in the room, noticed him on the phone and nodded once before slipping out again.

 _//*”I wouldn’t know, I’m on the wrong side of the continent.”*//_ He could hear her laughter through the line and he joined her. When they wound down, Blair pressed her for an explanation. Her answer surprised him. _//*”I’m in Virginia now. But I got your message about suing Sid Graham and Carolyn Edwards, and I think it’s a brilliant move. Especially now since it’s been almost four months since the incident.”*//_

Blair sat up and kicked off his shoes. “Do you think it will be hard? And do you have someone in mind to take my case?”

 _//*”Blair, I think this is something you *need* to do. And yes I have just the guy to help you out. Very thorough, very passionate and very serious about the work. His name’s Rudy Baylor and he’s in California at the moment. San Francisco to be exact. I gave him your name, the case files and your number, so expect a call soon.”*//_ Beverly’s voice was no nonsense over the phone and Blair fought the urge not to snap out a ‘Yes Ma’am!’ in response.

Instead he thanked her and hung up before falling back on the bed to stare at the ceiling. Closing his eyes briefly he tried to relax and let his mind wander through the list of things he had to do. He was two weeks from graduation, which meant that the next step on the path was at hand. The restoration of his good name.

With a huff of frustration, he pulled himself off the bed and changed into sweats and sneakers. Snatching up his cell phone, he left his room, waved to his roommate downstairs, and took off on a long jog to Wolf Lake Park. He needed to take some time to center himself again, be assured he was on the correct path. He needed to talk to his teacher.

The park was relatively quiet this time of day and Blair was able to find a private area in which to relax and begin the next leg of his journey, the spiritual one. Deep breathing and focus brought him to Incacha’s side at the edge of the fire.

 _*”You still travel the path, Young Wolf. Why is it you are still coming to me when you know what is to be done?”*_ Incacha appeared wearied in having to remind Blair his purpose, but Blair was still feeling insecure.

 _*”I graduate in two weeks, yet I don’t feel the need yet to go home to my Sentinel. Is there something I’m missing?”*_ Blair sighed and leaned against the log at his back. Incacha leaned over him and they locked eyes.

 _*”You still have much to learn. It does not matter that you have passed this course. You have other things to learn. You have learned the nature of people. Now you must learn the nature of a man.”*_

Blair squinted back up at Incacha and frowned. _*”The nature of man... Man’s action and reactions. Psychology... Forensic evidence... Profiling? You want me to become a Forensic Profiler? That makes sense. I mean, Major Crimes could use a good profiler. Then instead of me following Jim around and being the sidekick, he could follow me! I’d actually be a help!”*_

Now it was Incacha’s turn to frown and Blair babbled to a stop. With a sigh, Incacha scolded Blair, _*”You would be doing what you have done for many years. Only this time you would be acknowledged for it.”*_

And then he was gone. Blair opened his eyes and noticed the shadows drawing close as the sun went down. His cell phone chirped beside him and he flipped it open to answer it. “Sandburg.”

 _//*”Hey Blair, it’s getting dark. Are you in the park again?”*//_ Blair chuckled at the sound of his roommate’s voice. Ryan Wolfe was a good friend and would become a great cop. But his destiny did not lie solely in being a patrol officer. Blair could tell that with time the young man would exceed expectations and become a skilled detective or investigator.

“Yeah man. Where are you?”

 _//*”In the lot, waiting for you?”*//_ Blair listened closely and located the vehicle by sound, turning for the nearest parking spaces and setting off at a relaxed clip.

“Okay, I’m on my way. Thanks Ryan, I know you could have found something else to do tonight.”

Ryan snorted, _//*”Yeah but you’re helping me through this procedures course and I need your tutoring to graduate.”*//_

Blair chuckled as he clicked the phone shut and climbed into the jeep with Ryan driving. “Man, you already have enough credits to pass in two weeks with me. But I gotta say we are more than even, what with your training in handguns giving me such a marvelous score.”

Ryan chuckled as he pulled out onto the main street back to the academy. “So where to now, my friend?”

Blair was silent for a while before answering. “After graduation, I’m headed north. To Quantico, Virginia so that I can take a Forensic Profiling course with the FBI.”

Ryan glanced at Blair, silence filling the jeep. After a few minutes he continued, “You’re serious?”

Blair nodded, “Yup.”

Ryan smiled, “Can’t argue with a man who has a clear plan.”

Blair joined him in the smile as they continued to their dorm.

o-O-o

Sidney Graham exited his New York apartment complex and prepared himself to climb into the waiting cab when a young woman arrived at his elbow and handed him a manila envelope with his name printed across the front. She was gone before he could respond and left him perplexed. He sat in the cab while it drove towards Berkshire Publishing Company, debating if he should open the envelope or not. He finally decided to do so and soon wished he hadn’t.

It was a summons to appear in court to defend himself against the claims of ‘Invasion of Privacy’ with the intent of ‘Intentional Infliction of Emotional distress’ on one Blair J. Sandburg. He sighed as he realized that one brash encounter, one of many he had succeeded in before but had failed with the young man of Cascade, was now coming back to bite him in the ass.

The words came back to haunt him, the dire warning of a grad student being pushed to do something he had no desire to do. _*”You cannot publish it. And if you want to keep your friendship with my mother, I suggest you destroy the copy that you have. This is the end of the conversation.”*_

Sid had pushed the issue. And when it came down to Blair’s love or Sid’s friendship, Naomi chose her son, of course. So there would be no answers from her. Sid read the notes at the bottom of the document stating the name of the lawyer that the young man had retained to bring this case to court. Rudy Baylor. Sid remembered the case that this young lawyer had brought against the Great Benefit Life Insurance Company for not holding up their end of contracts with their clients.

He had won, as Sid remembered it. And nothing and no one had been able to break him or stand in his way. Sid was not about to fight such a strong individual, it would take too much time out of his life and he would lose. He pulled his cell phone out of his briefcase and dialed the number for the attorney.

“Mr. Baylor, thank you for taking my call, this is Sid Graham. I’d like to discuss settlement in this case.”

o-O-o

She returned the first set of papers without opening the envelope. She did the same with the second set. Deck decided that the third set would be better delivered in person. And he was just the short, fat bastard to do the job. His short stride did nothing to diminish his power as he marched through the halls of Rainier University to the Chancellor’s office.

With a jovial smile that one would describe as sharklike, he leaned over the desk of the little secretary and said, “I’d like to see Chancellor Edwards, please?”

The secretary gazed up at him warily. “Do you have an appointment?”

Deck maintained his grin. “Not yet. But you can tell Ms. Edwards that she can either talk to me now, or in court. Her choice entirely.”

The secretary, a pretty petite blonde glanced back at the door to the Chancellor’s office and shuddered. Deck reached out a hand and patted her arm. “How about you do this, Sweetheart? You go get a cup of coffee and let me handle this. You never saw me and had no idea that I was here. I’ll take it from there, all right?”

The young girl nodded reluctantly and stood, grabbing her empty cup and slipping out of the office quickly without a backward glance. Deck pasted on his grin even wider and knocked sharply on the inner door. He listened for acknowledgement, getting it almost immediately when he heard a woman’s voice call, “Come in Donna.”

He opened the door wide. ”Chancellor Edwards, my name is Deck Shifflet. -pleased ta meetcha. Now this here is a complaint sworn out against you on the behalf of Blair J Sandburg that charges you with ‘Unjust Enrichment’ at the expense of Mr. Sandburg’s reputation and his status. It also cites you with ‘Intentional infliction of emotional distress’ to Mr. Sandburg and his mother, Naomi Sandburg. These are serious charges, not to be ignored in the hopes they will just go away. Lady, I have seen it all, and you ain’t got nothing that will sway me. Unless it’s money and a public apology, those I can work with.”

Chancellor Edwards stood when he arrived and remained standing in the hopes that her superior height would intimidate him. She was wrong, of course. “Mr. Shifflet, you are speaking of a young man who has been released from employment with this school not once, but twice—“

"Oh, yeah," Deck interrupted her. "Thanks for reminding me - you're also being sued for unjust termination of employment and defamation of character. Not once, but twice.”

Edwards then shut her mouth. Deck grinned.

Part III  
“Mr. Sandburg I have to say that your scores here have been exceptional. Both in the field and in the classroom, you are definitely top notch. I’d like very much to keep you, but you mentioned you already have plans for that brain of yours.” AD Blaine smiled as he closed the file in his hands. Blair nodded silently, but said nothing. Blaine sighed. “Let me get to the point, Sandburg. I could use you on a team I have in Georgia. Dr. Sam Waters is easy to work with, she’s competent and relaxed, as long as you follow the rules.”

Blair held up a hand to forestall the AD’s next words. “Sir, I appreciate your offer but I _*do*_ have a plan in motion for my gifts. Perhaps I can work with them another time, on a purely case by case basis.”

Blaine nodded understanding. He’d had to at least try. Blair smiled as he stood, “If we are through here, I do have some things to pack still.”

Blaine nodded and stood with him, shaking hands and saying good-bye. Blair hardly heard him as he left the office. His mind was still flipping through the list of things yet to be finished before his final step in the plan. So close, oh so close.

o-O-o

Jim closed and checked his door, leaning down to pick up his morning paper and heading for the stairs. Reading the headline on the front page, he was pleased to note that it had nothing to do with him. Reading further, he found no headlines at all pertaining to him or his ‘unusual abilities’ and this gave him pause.

He stopped in Colette’s for a bagel with egg and cheese and a cup of coffee before walking across the lot to his truck. After climbing in and pulling out his cell phone, he dialed the office and waited for Simon to answer.

 _//*”Banks.”*//_

“Hey Simon, have you seen the morning paper?” Jim smiled when he spoke. He was suddenly feeling very fine these days, better than he had for a long time.

 _//*”As a matter of fact, I have. And there’s more to report, I got a call from a Rudy Baylor some three weeks ago, asking for a copy of the transcript tapes we keep on the phone lines in and out of the precinct.”*//_

Jim frowned, “What was he looking for?”

 _//*”I’m not sure, but I listened to the tapes in the time frame he requested, and it was a conversation between Sandburg and that Sid Graham guy from Berkshire Publishing. Jim, that kid was trying so hard to shut the guy down. It looks like there was no permission ever given for the use of the dissertation.”*//_

“That’s theft, Simon.” Jim snarled.

 _//*”I think they get that, Jim. Have you seen any reporters yet?”*//_

Jim looked around before pulling into the garage of the station, “Nope, nothing.”

He could hear the smile in the other man’s voice. _//*”Looks to me like they have found something more interesting to dig into.”*//_

“What’s that?” Jim asked as he climbed out of the truck.

 _//*”Get up here and find out.”*//_

Jim hung up the phone and raced up the stairs to the 8th floor, slipping into Simon’s office and taking a seat at the conference desk. Simon sat on the edge and flicked to another news station on his TV.

“Last station just finished their update, maybe another one will... yeah, here we go.”

Jim watched the TV news report, announced by Wendy Hawthorne, which depicted a frazzled Chancellor Edwards attempting to climb the steps of the court house amid a myriad of questions asking about her involvement in the defrauding and defamation of character of one Blair Sandburg. She ignored the crowd as much as possible, finally giving up and screaming ‘No Comment’ several times before slipping into the doors.

Simon flicked the TV off while Jim laughed. Another obstacle knocked down. “Looks like she’s having a bit of a mess there, Simon.”

Simon smiled with him, “And I got word that Sid settled way out of court. Beverly Sanchez sends her hellos, by the way.”

Jim grinned from ear to ear. “So, it seems my partner has been very busy these days.”

Simon sobered swiftly at the mention of the missing team member. “Have you heard from him?”

Jim shook his head, “Not by phone. Incacha says to stay calm, though.” Usually Jim wouldn’t have mentioned his vision to his boss, but Simon had finally gotten over himself at Sierra Verde. Now he wanted to know everything about his best team, even the visions.

“Well, that can only mean that things are still on track.” He poured Jim another cup of coffee. “I just hope it all finishes out soon. I’d like to have the boy back. We all miss him.”

Jim sipped his cup and sighed. “You have no idea, Simon. None at all.”

o-O-o

Chancellor Edwards, now jobless, conceded defeat. Deck smiled with glee as he took her cashier’s check for the amount of restitution owed his client, plus attorney’s fees. Unlike the insurance case, this one paid out on time. Deck had told Rudy it would work out this time. He tucked the check into his pocket and bowed slightly before leaving the nearly empty office.

On his way to his car, he was stopped by the head of Anthropology, Sydney Marks. “Mr. Shifflet, a moment please?”

Deck paused, dropping his case in the back seat and turning to meet the man face to face. “Dr. Marks, it’s good to see you.”

Sydney nodded and smiled back. It was being circulated that with Edwards out of the way, Dr. Eli Stoddard was being considered for the Chancellor’s chair, something which many of the deans were excited about as Stoddard was known to be a fair and honest man. “Mr. Shifflet, I wonder if you could speak with your client about returning to Rainier and finishing his dissertation program with us, to gain his title as Doctor?”

Deck’s smile slowly shifted and he knew the truth would be hard to bear. “Dr. Marks, much as I’d like to pass that on, I don’t have a way of reaching Mr. Sandburg. We speak through his mother, Naomi Sandburg. I’m sure you have already attempted to pass the invitation through her?”

Sydney’s shoulders slumped. “Yes, and it would seem that, according to her, Academia does not hold the spot in Mr. Sandburg’s heart that it once did.”

Deck nodded, “Then you have your answer, Dr. Marks. Good luck, and have a good day.”

And with that, Deck Shifflet climbed into his battered Honda, started her up, and drove away.

o-O-o

 _Two days later..._

Jim picked up his latest report and headed to Simon’s office to drop it off. He’d had a good day, which simply topped off a good week, the best he’d had all year, as a matter of fact. But something about today seemed to be better than normal, he felt energized for some reason. He’d slept great for the last five days, hadn’t had much trouble with his senses and there was a tingling at the back of his head that told him to expect excitement any day now.

Simon was on the phone when Jim knocked on the doorframe, waving Jim in while he hung up the phone. “Jim that was the Commissioner on the phone. He wants someone to go to the airport and pick up some hotshot profiler that is being assigned, of all places, to us.”

Jim blinked, “Wait can we afford another man and still have room for Sandburg?”

Simon shook his head, “No and the Commissioner seems to believe that it is imperative for us to have this particular man. So this is what I want you to do. Go down to the airport and find this Profiler. Take him wherever they have him set up, hotel suite, whatever. And give him hell along the way.”

Jim blinked again. “Simon, you want me to scare this kid off?”

Simon nodded curtly, “All the way back to Virginia if you can. Give him the patented Ellison shit streak. I don’t like being told who I have to have on my team.”

Jim grimaced. This was going to suck. With a sigh he headed out the door, tossing a ‘Yes, Sir’ on his way out.

The drive to the airport, which normally would have been pure horror, was even more exciting and Jim was still in the dark as to why. It grated on him that they were being forced to have some rookie who tested high on behavioral skills foisted off on them from Quantico. He missed Blair.

Parking at the pickup line, Jim climbed out of the truck and showed the porter his badge, explaining he was picking someone up. The porter nodded and let Jim go on his way. Just before stepping inside, Jim wrenched down on all the dials, trying to compensate for the cacophony of sound and smell, dull florescent lights and engine thrumming that almost always assailed him when he was in an airport without his partner.

His first order of business was to find the gate that his charge was coming from. He checked the boards and noted that the plane from Virginia had landed five minutes prior and that, hopefully, had deplaned in proper time. He went in search of the gate, only to be brought up short by the sound of gentle thumping.

Curiously it was a sound he remembered hearing time and again. Every night that his partner slept in the small bed beneath him. He spun around this way and that to catch some glimpse, because surely he wasn’t hearing things! He stopped, opened his hearing with caution and latched on to that beloved beat. It came closer and closer and finally when he opened his eyes, he looked down into the bright, shining eyes of Blair Sandburg.

“Blair.”

And just like that, it all made sense.

o-O-o

Sheldon Kopp  
 _Each person's only hope for improving his lot rests on his recognizing the true nature of his basic personality, surrendering to it, and becoming who he is._  


**Author's Note:**

> Yes I took characters from Mr. John Grisham's novel "The Rainmaker". I should have mentioned that some time ago. Sorry sir.


End file.
